The city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna was the first unfortified city of peace.
The unplanned Upper Town was founded in 1497 and soon after, in 1502, the planned Lower Town was founded, with wide major streets linking public spaces and smaller side streets.
The city was the political, religious and commercial center of Tenerife until the 19th century, when it gradually moved to the city of Santa Cruz.
Currently if has a university which was founded in 1817 and which serves the whole of the Canary Islands.